This name is Hebrew in origin. The original girl's name Michal appears in the Bible and means "brook" or "stream." Where Michal is used as a boy's name, it is a variation of the Hebrew name Michael or Micah, meaning "Who is like God?" THere are a lot of other versions of Michael in different Euroean languages, including Michel, Miguel etc.
Michals is a norman name meaning a knight of the order of st.michael or st.michel. Some of the familys move to Ireland and scotland and wales.